The family of a "kind and caring" 19-year-old woman from Arnold have paid tribute to her after she died in a crash along with her friend. Lara Meldrum and Jennifer Woodhouse, 18, from Alfreton, were involved in a fatal collision just before 7pm on Friday, June 17.
The pair had just finished their A-Level exams and went on a trip to the seaside. However, on the A158 at Hagworthingham, in Lincolnshire, they were both killed in a two-car crash.
Lara worked in McDonald's in Arnold and was a much-loved member of Nottingham ice hockey club who had a "contagious smile" and a fun-loving nature. Her family said her and Jennifer were "friends to end".
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Lara’s family have paid tribute to her, saying: "Lara was a fun loving girl whose kind and caring nature touched so many of her friends all over the country. Born in Chesterfield she lived most of her life in Coxley, Somerset and Arnold, Nottingham. Her friendships remained close and in some cases stronger despite the distances. We have never known anyone with so many “best friends”, something that so many proudly called her.
"She followed in the footsteps of her elder brother Ross and became a valued member of The Nottingham ice hockey club. She was proud to have won a National league and play briefly at Elite level with the ladies team The Vipers . Bus trips to away games from Scotland, Whitley Bay, Guildford, Streatham and loads more in between were some of the funniest times ever. Lara would be the ringleader of karaoke, dancing and all manner of hilarious antics. She loved those bus trips with the girls.
"Latterly Lara worked part time in McDonald’s in Arnold. The shy girl who went for her interview blossomed and her colleagues were soon charmed by that contagious smile and fun. She worked hard so that she could save money to pay for holidays with her friends, nights out and for her new found love of clothes. Every colour of crocs that you could buy and a hoodie to match them!
"Always at the centre of the fun and with a great sense of adventure we always said she lived life in 'Lara Time in Lara World'. That might be taking her beloved Cockapoo Jet for an adventure through the woods or going for a late night walk with her friends. We will miss her jumping on our bed every night to chat before we slept.
"We will miss her taking days to bring her washing and dishes down. We will miss her stealing our phones and taking random pictures without us knowing. We will miss her charming ability to get a lift to college despite having just been given money for the bus. We will miss her fake tan that made her look like a tiger loaf on day three. We will miss her so much.”
Meanwhile, Jennifer's family said in a tribute: “Jennifer was a force of nature. A beautifully kind-hearted, hard-working, caring and empathetic young woman with the whole world ahead of her. She was our beautiful, little star. We are all privileged to have had her in our lives. She was absolutely hilariously funny with an intelligent sense of humour that never failed. She would be rolling around on the floor with her friends laughing at the silliest thing."
They added: “The world is a better place for having had her in it and she will be missed terribly. She was an incredible human who blessed all that got to know her kindness, her intelligent empathy, her charm, her humour, and her complete radiance which made us all be better people. If you know Jennifer, you love her.”
The pair had planned to study at Sheffield Hallam University together.
Lincolnshire Police would still like to hear from anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who may have dashcam footage of the collision. If you can help, you can call 101 or email force.control@lincs.police.uk quoting incident 402 of June 17.
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